What is lithium and what does it treat?
Lithium carbonate is a salt that was first approved in the United States in 1970 to treat manic depression (bipolar disorder). Today, it remains a commonly used medication for this illness. There are several different brands of lithium dispensed as tablets, capsules, or liquid (the most commonly used products are listed above). A manic episode, or mania, is when a person experiences several of the following symptoms at the same time: “high” or irritable mood, very high self esteem, decreased need for sleep, pressure to keep talking, racing thoughts, being easily distracted, frequently involved in activities with a large risk for bad consequences (for example, excessive buying sprees). A depressive episode, or depression, is when a person experiences several of the following symptoms at the same time: “low” or depressed mood (for example, sad, empty, tearful), decreased interest in most or all activities, changes in appetite (usually decreased), changes in sleep (usually poor sleep), lo
